Salutations to all. I'm Brian H. I'm 28, living in Coupeville, WA which is a dry Zone 8B. Coupeville is in a rain shadow and only averages only 8 inches of rain per year, comparable to a cooler Arizona. We rent 1 acre of 1/3 grass yard, 1/3 Blackberries, and 1/3 mixed Snowberries/Nooka Rose with a few ancient fruit trees (2 different types of apple , 3 different types of plum, and 1 poisonous Horse Chestnut) scattered about.
I've done some loose studying of Permaculture, but I am new to the functional side, as well as new to Permies.com. I have learned SO much in my last week of reading/lurking.
Underneith the shade of one of the plum trees, I'm hoping to make a small (20'x20') Permaculture plot with native berries, edible ferns, and some other things. So far I have ripped up the invasive blackberries from the patch. I then used my chipper/shredder to make a several inch thick mixed mulch layer of wood (rose, apple, plum, fir, and alder), leaves/needles (previous + various ornimental shrubs, garden wastes, and green blackberry shoots), and dried blackberry cane. I've also mixed in a bit of
compost, with plenty of red wriggler worms. I plan on innoculating the mulch layer with Oyster Mushrooms for both soil building and potential sale/barter (I hate mushrooms myself).
We also plan on making a full-sun permaculture patch as well but not sure what to grow there.
Anyways, we have several cuttings from
Everygreen Huckleberry that I'd like to get to take root better/easier. Does anyone have any suggestions on ways to do that in a safe, effective way? I found some "rooting powder" but it sounds like very nasty stuff (suggests full resporator, smock, and protective gloves).
Thank you in advance.
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